Athlete s supporter



(No Model.)

J. J. .PPISTER.

ATHLETES SUPPORTER. No. 452,529. Patented May 19,1891.

- UNITED STATES PATENT Orn cn.

JOHN J PFISTER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ATHLETES SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,529, dated May 19,1891.

Application filed December 26, 1890. Serial No. 375,878. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN J. PFISTER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California,have invented an Improvement in Athletes Supporters; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame.

My invention relates to the class of supporters used by athletes, andwhich consist of a waistband and a cross-band passing between the legsof the wearer and connected in front and back to the waistband.

Myinvention consists in the novel construction and fashioning of thewaistband, the novel construction of the cross-band, and the connectionbetween the two bands, all of which will hereinafter be fully explained,and specifically pointed out in the claim.

The object of my invention is to provide a supporter of this class whichshall so fit the wearer as to insure its perfect adjustment andpermanency in place under all circumstances,

and which shall also be of such character and materials as to secureperfect freedom and comfort.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention, Figure 1 is a pattern of one of the two pieces whichform the waistband. Fig. 2 is a pattern of the cross-band. Fig. 3 is afront View of the completed supporter. Fig. L is a back View of thesame. Fig. 5 is a section of the cross-band B.

From suitable material, usually elastic material, I first cut out twopieces of the pattern shown. in Fig. 1, and these form in the completedarticle the waistband A. The crossband Bis made of knit goods, after thepattern of Fig. 2, and is a seamless tubular, fashioned piece. In thefront the ends of the band A and the edges of the band B are sewedtogether on the lines a, and in the back they are sewed on the lines I).

It will be noticed that the parts are fashioned-that is to say, they areshaped to fit wearer. The pieces forming the waistband A are so madethat they are higher in the back than in the front, which is the propershape for a belt, as it fits the form and has no tendency to slip down.If they were made straight, the waistband would, 011 account of theshape of the lower portion of the trunk or body of the wearer, naturallyslip down in front and rise in the back; but this movement would throwit out of fit, as it would not be fashioned to such a position; but inmy band this position is the normal one, so that it will stay there.

The edges of the waistband-pieces, back and front, are inclined tofitthe shape of the wearer. In the front they converge downwardly,following the contour or lines of the abdomen and groins, and in theback they converge upwardly, thus fitting closely over the upper portionof the buttocks and leading into the lower end of the spine. Being ofelastic material, the band [its closely to the person and has notendency to displacement under any conditions. The cross-band B, it willbe seen, is also fashioned to afit. Its front end is widened to the topand presents edges corresponding to and adapted to be secured to theedges of the waistband-pieces. This widened and tapering front end andthe front of the pieces A conform to the downwardlyconverging curvaturesof abdomen and accurately fit the person. Thence the cross-bandcontinues to taper until it is narrowed to a central strip at a, whichis of a size adapted to pass between the legs without inconvenience.Thence it widens again until where it meets the waistband-pieces in theback, and from there up it tapers upwardly to conform to the edges ofthe waistband-pieces, to which it is secured by its own edges.

I have found that knit goods are the best for the cross-band, bothbecause of their character and because I am enabled to form the wholeband of a single seamless tubular piece made and fashioned on themachine. Knit goods are soft and yielding, yet possessing body enough toretain their general shape, not being liable to be compressed or drawninto a stringy shape, as would, for example, a piece of muslin used forthis purpose. My crossband is therefore best when formed from knitgoods, and it is light, shapely, not heating, is absorbent and durable,and more comfortable than simple cloth; nor does it bind or chafe, asrubber or elastic cloth would, and it is much cleaner. By knitting itpurposely for this use the cross-band can be made of a single tubularseamless piece and fashioned properly.

Having thus described my invention, whatI 10 separated ends of thewaistband-pieces and secured thereto, said crossband having a narrowedcentral strip which formsa depending portion, substantially as hereindescribed.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN .T. PFISTER.

Witnesses:

II. NOURSE, WM. F. BOOTH.

